Boat house on Great Lakes?
 

I know this group is dedicated to boat building but I was wondering if
someone here could answer this question. WHY don't you see more boat houses
on the great lakes? I've seen dozens on the St. Lawrence River but can't say
I remember seeing any on the great lakes. I know in the winter time the ice
on the lakes can create a lot of pressure but wouldn't there we some way to
create a boat house out a little ways in the lake?

"HotRod" wrote in message
...
I know this group is dedicated to boat building but I was wondering if
someone here could answer this question. WHY don't you see more boat houses
on the great lakes? I've seen dozens on the St. Lawrence River but can't
say I remember seeing any on the great lakes. I know in the winter time the
ice on the lakes can create a lot of pressure but wouldn't there we some
way to create a boat house out a little ways in the lake?


The great lakes have huge storms. Erie and Superior have sunk a lot of
boats and ships which IMO will weather a storm much better than a fixed
structure. Don't know that much about the other great lakes. Erie has a
shallow basin that can really roll waves bad.

I don't know much about ice, but Erie can freeze solid enough to drive
trucks on it all the way out to the islands for supply runs some winters.

JMO.
--
Bob La Londe
http://www.YumaBassMan.com

I believe it's the same in Lake Huron. The problem I see here is that there
is a lot of lake front houses but no one has a dock or even a place to put
the boat. Except at anchor for a while. I'm just wondering if it's possible
to build something to house a boat a little ways out in the lake, possibly
year round.

"HotRod" wrote in message
...
I believe it's the same in Lake Huron. The problem I see here is that there
is a lot of lake front houses but no one has a dock or even a place to put
the boat. Except at anchor for a while. I'm just wondering if it's possible
to build something to house a boat a little ways out in the lake, possibly
year round.

There are also state laws regarding property rights. The shore and water
are public property in Ohio, and I think most of the great lakes states. I
think some special permits are required for structures that extend into the
water.

On our local river where I live permission from the BLM is required to build
a boat dock or boat house next to your property on the river.

--
Bob La Londe
http://www.YumaBassMan.com

If it's "navigable waters" then I think the US Coast Guard also gets
involved. If it's not, then it's probably "wet lands" and you need to talk
to the EPA.

Roger

http://home.earthlink.net/~derbyrm

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
"HotRod" wrote in message
...
I believe it's the same in Lake Huron. The problem I see here is that
there is a lot of lake front houses but no one has a dock or even a place
to put the boat. Except at anchor for a while. I'm just wondering if it's
possible to build something to house a boat a little ways out in the lake,
possibly year round.

There are also state laws regarding property rights. The shore and water
are public property in Ohio, and I think most of the great lakes states.
I think some special permits are required for structures that extend into
the water.

On our local river where I live permission from the BLM is required to
build a boat dock or boat house next to your property on the river.

--
Bob La Londe
http://www.YumaBassMan.com

Roger Derby wrote:
: If it's "navigable waters" then I think the US Coast Guard also gets
: involved. If it's not, then it's probably "wet lands" and you need to talk
: to the EPA.

Yep, anything that is navigable (and the entire great lakes system is)
in the U.S. would require permission from the "Secretary of War" (now
known as the Secretary of Defense). There are a few court cases where
people built something on a navigable river without permission where the
structure was later demolished. Your refering to the "1000 island" area
in Canada on the St. Lawrence river?

I don't believe anyone would permit anything to be built in the Great Lakes
anymore, just out of concern for water quality since so many draw their
drinking water from them.

Anything out there would require a breakwater for storm protection...

--
John Nelson
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